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Huron Plainsman sold to Champion Media; print schedule cut, owners pledge local control
Summary
Ben Chase, editor of the Huron Plainsman, told the Huron City Commission that the newspaper was sold to Champion Media, will reduce print frequency from five editions to two per week, and that owners have pledged to maintain local editorial control and retain about 15 jobs.
Ben Chase, editor of the Huron Plainsman, told the Huron City Commission that the newspaper was sold last Friday to Champion Media and will cut its print editions from five per week to two.
"We were officially sold as of last Friday, to Champion Media," Ben Chase said during the public-forum portion of the meeting. "We're gonna continue printing, 2 papers per week, so that will be different. We'll change from 5 per week to 2, but it will be 2 locally focused papers that will be a little thicker for your for your hands to play with."
Chase said the new owners, headquartered in North Carolina, were in Huron to meet staff and that the new ownership intends to preserve local operations. He said roughly 15 jobs will continue under the new ownership and that multiple community members had offered help during the transition. "That's a very good thing," he said.
Mayor Robich and other commissioners thanked Chase and congratulated the paper during the public forum.
The announcement came during public forum; no formal action by the commission was recorded on the newspaper sale. Chase said the change will alter print frequency but that local editorial control will remain with staff in Huron. Specific details about the purchase agreement, including sale price and long-term staffing commitments, were not specified in the meeting record.
